Saturday, August 16, 2008

Cool weather and busy but good days

I would not be so foolish as to predict fall has arrived in mid-August, but we've had a definite temperature change, and it's wonderful. This morning when I ran errands, it was in the mid-70s and cloudy. I would have put the top down on the car but rain looked all too possible. The last few nights I've sat on the porch with a glass of wine, enjoying a cool breeze. And it's predicted to be no higher than the upper 80s for the next two or three days. A welcome break. Oh, and we've had rain--quite a bit yesterday. I left the lid open to my garbage cart to air it out and yesterday morning realized there might be a bit of water in it. A bit? Probably three feet deep and heavy enough that it was hard for me to empty. Besides it created a great flood by the driveway.
Speaking of errands, my trips this morning were an enormous success for reasons few will understand well except me. Ever since the heady days of the kids' visit and my birthday party, my anxiety about space has come back. (I truly believe anxiety comes from excitement as well as negative emotions.) Do NOT tell me to cross an open parking lot alone--it won't happen. I keep telling myself this has come and left before and will again, but I get pretty discouraged. One thing I have discovered is that I do much better if I work up a head of steam. Still, there have been some discouraging days and experiences--thinking I couldn't get from the grocery to my car, having to ask a friend to come help me to her car, etc. (My friends are so helpful that I am really blest--they help quietly, without drawing attention, and without criticizing, teasing, any of the negative things they could do.)
Last Saturday morning I geared myself up to go to Central Market and didn't do anything thing else. I am fully aware that it would be way to easy for me to be a recluse--but that would have its own perils. So today, I went by my office to pick up some work, to the pharmacy to leave a prescription and pick up a few things, to Barnes & Noble to buy one new book (I bought four) and to Central Market. At each place I walked vigorously with a head of steam and no problems. Sure, I've discovered tricks and shortcuts, like parking by a discarded basket at the grocery store and pushing it inside. But, hey, I get things done. So I'm feeling good today.
This was one weekend I didn't mind being fairly empty. I have too much desk work to do, but it turned out not to be empty at all. Last night Charles and I had supper at a Lebanese place down the street from my house; tonight Jordan is going to a baseball game (the Fort Worth Cats) with her office while Christian works, so I'm keeping Jacob overnight. She asked if I'd like her to come to supper on her way and I said of course, I'd make chicken salad because that's what I have a taste for. She doesn't. She's really dieting and wants plain sauteed chicken with lemon and salad. So I'm a short order cook--made myself chicken salad with blue cheese dressing. She tasted it and said, "Why didn't I want chicken salad?" I told her, and she said, "Next time remind me I really like your chicken salad." No need to tell her it's never the same twice.
And tomorrow night, to celebrate the cool weather, the neighbors are coming for cocktails on the porch.
Meantime, I'm working hard on the manuscript on which I'm keying in corrections, but I decided a compulsion to finish it should not keep me from blogging or doing my daily stint on my novel. So I got quite a bit done last night and today, but I've got about a third of the novel to go. I quit to blog and tonight, after Jacob is asleep, I'll work on my own novel. Once again, I know where the next scene is going!
And, of course, I have to sneak in time for a nap. Scoob and Wywy wouldn't underestand if we didn't have our nap time. They're going to be thrown off schedule, and so will I, next week when I have afternoon meetings two days!

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